Dec. 21: Admirals Insider

NORFOLK, VA ¡V The Norfolk Admirals head into the holiday break after winning two of three games against East Division Rivals last week at Scope.

On Wednesday, Dustin Tokarski made 26 saves for his second professional shutout as the Admirals topped the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Scope 2-0. On Friday, Tokarski stopped 25 of 26 shots and Adam Hall scored twice as Norfolk defeated the Binghamton Senators 3-1 at Scope. In the Saturday rematch with the B-Sens, the Admirals erased a two-goal third period deficit but eventually fell to Binghamton 5-4 at Scope. As a result of their play last week, the Admirals jumped over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for fourth place in the A HL's East Division and are only one point behind Binghamton for third.

Next on tap for the Admirals is a home-and-home set of games against the East Division-leading Hershey Bears. The Admirals travel to Hershey on Sunday, December 27 before hosting the Bears at Scope on Tuesday, December 29.

EAST DIVISION STANDINGS At 15-16-1-0 (31 points), the Admirals are in fourth place in the American Hockey League's East Division. The East is led by the Hershey Bears (21-8-0-2, 44 pts). They are followed by the Albany River Rats (18-11-1-2, 39 pts) and Binghamton Senators (14-11-3-1, 32 pts). The Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins (14-14-1-1, 30 pts) are in fifth, the Adirondack Phantoms (13-13-2-0, 28 pts) are sixth and the Syracuse Crunch (10-17-2-2, 24 pts) round out the division in seventh. Click here for the complete, up-to-the-minute AHL standings.

ADMIRALS' LOGX The Admirals enter the holiday break in fourth place in the AHL's East Division at 15-16-1-0 for 31 points in 32 games. Last season at the break, the Admirals were in sixth place in the East Division at 12-16-1-4 for 29 points in 33 games. X This season the Admirals are averaging 2.59 goals for and 2.59 goals against per game at the holiday break. Last season, the Admirals were averaging 3.09 goals for and 3.81 goals against per game at the holiday break. On average, the Admirals are scoring 0.5 fewer goals per game but are allowing 1.22 fewer goals per game compared to this time last season.X Brandon Bochenski (3G, 7A) has points and assists in six consecutive games. His six-game assist streak is tied for the second-longest in the AHL this season and is the longest for Norfolk this season.X Bochenski leads the Admirals with 31 points (15G, 16A) in 32 games this season and remains one goal shy of tying Casey Hankinson's AHL Admirals record of 76 career goals.X Bochenski is tied for the league lead in goals (15) and is tied for seventh in points (31).X Mark Parrish (4G, 4A) has points in five straight games.X Ty Wishart (1G, 2A) set a career high with three points on Saturday vs. Binghamton. Wishart has points in six of his last nine games (3G, 7A). With four goals and eight assists for twelve points, he has already bettered his offensive totals from last season (1G, 6A, 7PTS).X Martins Karsums also had thre e points (1G, 2A) to tie a career high on Saturday vs. Binghamton. Karsums posted one goal and four assists in two games against Binghamton last week. Entering those games, he had just two goals and four assists in 27 games this season.X After alternating starts between Dustin Tokarski and Riku Helenius for the previous 21 games, Tokarski became the first Norfolk goaltender to get back-to-back starts since he did it October 23-24 vs. Portland.ADMIRALS PLAYER OF THE WEEK Dustin Tokarski: 2GPI, 2-0-0, 1 shutout, 0.50 GAA, .981 SV% Dustin Tokarski led the Admirals to a pair of victories over East Division Rivals last week at Scope. On Wednesday, he made 26 saves for his second professional shutout in a 2-0 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. On Friday, he stopped 25 of 26 shots in a 3-1 win over the Binghamton Senators. As a result of Tokarski's victories, the Admirals passed both Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Binghamton in the East Division Standings after Friday's game. They are now just one point back of the Senators for third place in the East.

Tokarski improved his season record to 10-8-0 with a 2.22 goals-against average and .920 save percentage. He ranks in the top 20 of AHL goaltenders in games (18, T-17th), wins (10, T-10th), shutouts (2, T-6th), goals-against average (2.22, 10th) and save percentage (.920, T-14th). Tokarski has allowed only three goals in his last three starts since December 11 vs. Manitoba (2-1-0, 1.00 GAA, .963 SV%, 1 shutout). He led all AHL goaltenders in goals-against average at 0.50 last week.

ADMIRALS FAMILY FUN PACKS Click here for full details When the Admirals take on the Hershey Bears at Scope on Tuesday, December 29, it will be another Admirals Family Fun Pack Night. Family Fun Packs include four Red Level tickets for just $48 plus four free hot dogs, four free popcorns and four free sodas. That is a savings of $37! This great deal is available for all Tuesday and Wednesday night home games. The offer is available at the Scope Box Office, any Ticketmaster outlet, charge-by-phone at 1-800-745-3000 or online at ticketmaster.com.

STUDENT RUSH NIGHTS Click here for full details When the Admirals take on the Hershey Bears at Scope on Tuesday, December 29, it will also be another Student Rush Night, brought to you by Pit Bull Energy Drink and Baxter's Sports Lounge. All students have to do is show their valid, current student ID at the Scope Box Office after 2:00 p.m. on the day of the game and receive a White Level ticket for just $8 (normally $12). Plus, students will receive a buy one, get one free offer for the next Student Rush night. High School and College IDs are accepted. This offer is not available anywhere other than the Scope Box Office.

Student Rush tickets will also get students $5.99 menu items at Baxter's Sports Lounge before and after the game that night. Baxter's Sports Lounge is located just behind Norfolk Scope at 500 Granby Street. Students of any age with Student Rush tickets will be permitted into Baxter's prior to game time. After the game, only students over age 21 with Student Rush ticket stubs will be permitted unless a parent or guardian accompanies them.

THIS WEEK ON THE ADMIRALS HOUR RADIO SHOW Due to the holidays over the next two weeks, there will not be an Admirals Hour this Thursday, December 24 or next Thursday, December 31. The next Admirals Hour will be on Friday, January 8. More details will be announced in the coming weeks.

SCOUTING REPORT The Admirals will face the Hershey Bears in the 92nd and 93rd all-time regular season meetings between the clubs on Sunday, December 27 in Hershey and Tuesday, December 29 at Scope. The Admirals have dropped all three meetings with the Bears thus far this season. The December 29 game will be the first at Scope this season between the rivals.

The perennial scoring duo of Alexandre Giroux (11+22=33) and Keith Aucoin (14+18=32) remain at the top of the Hershey scoring charts. They have been joined by goal-scoring leader Andrew Gordon (15+17=32) and rookie defenseman John Carlson (1+23=24), who ranks among the league leaders in assists.

Goaltender Braden Holtby has put up impressive numbers in limited time with the Bears this season, going 5-1-1 with a 1.28 goals-against average and .952 save percentage in seven games. Jason Bacashihua (6-2-1, 2.66, .906) is also manning the pipes for the Bears at this time. Michal Neuvirth (10-5-0, 1.99, .929) is currently on NHL recall to the Washington Capitals.

The Bears will host the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday before the Admirals invade Giant Center on Sunday.

TICKETS To purchase tickets to any Admirals game, you may visit the Scope Box Office weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., visit any Ticketmaster outlet, call Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000 or visit Ticketmaster online at ticketmaster.com. Don't miss a minute of the action by purchasing your 2009-10 season tickets today. Stop by the Admirals' Administrative Offices at Scope, call (757) 640-1212 weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. or visit norfolkadmirals.com anytime!

ON THE RADIO/INTERNET All eighty regular season games will air live on STAR 1310-AM and will stream online free of charge at star1310.com. AHL Live will carry online video of every Admirals game on a pay-per-view or season pass basis. Fans can log in to watch or get more information about AHL Live's online video features at ahllive.com.